Reference

Glossary

Every term in this guide, defined clearly and without jargon. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it.

A

API

Application Programming Interface — a way for software systems to communicate with each other. APIs allow your website to connect to external services like payment processors, email providers, or social media platforms.

B

Back-end

The server-side of a website — the code, database, and logic that users don't see directly. Handles data processing, authentication, and business rules.

C

CDN

Content Delivery Network — a global network of servers that cache and deliver your website's static files (images, CSS, JavaScript) from the location closest to each visitor, reducing load times.

CMS

Content Management System — software that lets non-technical users create and manage website content. WordPress, Drupal, and Ghost are CMS platforms.

CRO

Conversion Rate Optimization — the practice of improving the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action (purchase, sign up, contact).

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets — the language that controls the visual presentation of HTML: colors, fonts, spacing, layout, animations, and responsive behavior.

D

DNS

Domain Name System — the system that translates human-readable domain names (example.com) into IP addresses that computers use to locate servers.

Domain

The human-readable address of a website (e.g., example.com). Registered through domain registrars, typically $10–$50/year.

E

E-commerce

Electronic commerce — selling products or services through a website. Includes product catalogs, shopping carts, payment processing, and order management.

F

Front-end

The client-side of a website — everything the user sees and interacts with in their browser. Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Full-stack

A developer or framework that handles both front-end and back-end. Full-stack frameworks include Next.js, Rails, Laravel, and Django.

H

Headless CMS

A CMS that manages content but doesn't control how it's displayed. Content is delivered via API, allowing any front-end to consume it.

Hosting

The service that stores your website's files and makes them accessible on the internet. Ranges from $5/month shared hosting to $1,000+/month dedicated infrastructure.

HTML

HyperText Markup Language — the foundational language of every web page. Defines the structure and content: headings, paragraphs, links, images, forms.

HTTPS

HTTP Secure — encrypted communication between browser and server using SSL/TLS certificates. Required for security, SEO, and user trust.

J

JavaScript

The programming language of the web browser. Enables interactivity, dynamic content, animations, and complex application logic. Also used server-side via Node.js.

L

LCP

Largest Contentful Paint — a Core Web Vital measuring how long it takes for the main content of a page to become visible. Target: under 2.5 seconds.

M

MVP

Minimum Viable Product — the simplest version of a product that delivers core value. Used to validate ideas before investing in full development.

N

No-code

Platforms that allow building websites or applications without writing code (e.g., Wix, Bubble, Webflow). Trade flexibility for speed.

O

ORM

Object-Relational Mapping — a layer that lets developers interact with databases using their programming language instead of raw SQL queries.

P

PWA

Progressive Web App — a website that behaves like a native app: installable, works offline, and can send push notifications.

R

Responsive design

Design that adapts to different screen sizes — from mobile phones to desktop monitors — using flexible layouts, media queries, and fluid images.

REST API

A common API architecture style using HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform operations on resources. The most widely used API pattern on the web.

S

SaaS

Software as a Service — web-based software sold by subscription. Examples: Slack, Shopify, HubSpot, Notion.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results through technical, content, and authority-building strategies.

SPA

Single-Page Application — a web app that loads once and dynamically updates content without full page reloads. Built with React, Vue, or Angular.

SQL

Structured Query Language — the standard language for querying and managing relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.

SSL/TLS

Security protocols that encrypt data transmitted between browser and server. SSL certificates enable HTTPS. Free via Let's Encrypt.

SSG

Static Site Generation — building all pages at build time as static HTML files. Fast, secure, and cheap to host. Used by Next.js, Astro, Hugo.

SSR

Server-Side Rendering — generating HTML on the server for each request. Better for SEO and initial load than client-side rendering.

T

Tech stack

The combination of technologies used to build a website: programming languages, frameworks, databases, hosting, and tools.

U

User Interface — the visual elements a user interacts with: buttons, forms, navigation, cards, modals.

User Experience — the overall experience of using a website, including ease of use, accessibility, information architecture, and task completion.

V

Vendor lock-in

When switching away from a platform or service is prohibitively expensive or technically difficult. A major hidden cost in platform selection.

W

WASM

WebAssembly — a binary format that runs near-native-speed code in the browser. Used for performance-critical applications like video editing and CAD tools.

Webhook

An automated HTTP callback triggered by an event. When something happens in one system, it sends data to another system in real-time.

WordPress

The most widely used CMS, powering ~43% of all websites. Open source, PHP-based, with a massive plugin and theme ecosystem.